Do You Need Planning Permission To Fit Solar Panels On A Flat Roof?

Daniel Bracewell • 10 June 2024

With energy prices going up for a lot of people, contributing to cost of living pressures, it can be tempting to consider buying solar panels to help reduce the need for the National Grid.

For people living in a home with a flat roof, this can seem like a perfect solution; that underutilised space on top of your house could help generate some or all of the electricity you need.

With solar panel prices falling as well, it can be tempting to contact some specialists in flat roof modification to make sure that your planned work is completed without any issues, but one major question that comes up with matters of modification is about planning permission.

As with any question regarding planning permission, your local planning authority should be the first port of call if you have any questions or queries, but in a lot of cases, solar panel plans can be classed as permitted development, which can be completed without submitting a formal planning application.

The general rules for planning permission with a flat roof are that the panels need to minimise the effect on the appearance of the home, should only be kept on the house as long as they are being used and should not be more than 60cm higher than the highest part of the roof sans chimney.

There are some complications to this. If your home qualifies as Article 2(3) Land, defined as conservation areas, areas of outstanding natural beauty, specifically protected by the Secretary of State, National Parks, World Heritage Sites or the Broads, you will always need planning permission.

The rules are a bit more relaxed in Scotland, where you can have a solar panel on your roof as long as it doesn’t extend more than a metre from the highest part.

This could all change in the next few months, but at present a lot of people can make the most of their flat roof as a base for solar panels and help cut their energy bills in the process.

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Can You Install Solar Panels On A Flat Roof?

by Daniel Bracewell • 10 December 2025

If you’re exploring how to lower your energy bills and reduce your carbon footprint, you may be looking at the likes of solar panels for your home. But what if your property has a flat roof rather than a pitched roof? Can you still install solar panels on a flat roof? The short answer is yes, you can! In fact, it is often easier to install solar panels on a flat roof than it is to fit them to a sloped roof, which might make this an even more appealing avenue to explore when you’re looking at flat roof ideas . In many cases, you also don’t need planning permission to install solar panels on your flat roof. Of course, there are exceptions if you have a listed building or live in a conservation area, but if you own your house (different rules apply for flats too), you should be free to add solar panels to your home as you choose. There are different kinds of mounting systems for flat roof solar panels and which is most appropriate for your home will depend on the direction it faces. It is worth noting that the cost of installing solar panels is often higher on flat roofs because of the mounting system, but some of this can be offset by the lower labour costs because the installation process is usually more straightforward. One of the main reasons homeowners install solar panels is to reduce their energy bills. Many report savings of hundreds of pounds each year, which means these panels often pay for themselves relatively quickly. What’s more, under the Smart Export Guarantee , you can sell any energy you don’t use back to the National Grid, which can increase the rate at which your investment in solar panels pays for itself. So, if you are exploring ways to make the most of your flat roof, consider solar panels as an option to reduce your energy bills and do good for the environment.